Peter Holland, who played four games with the Ducks last season, is hoping the experience he's gaining in the AHL this season will help him once the NHL lockout is settled. SPECIAL TO THE REGISTER

Time never stops, and even the cherished moments often fade into the woodwork of life.

For a split second, promising Ducks prospect Peter Holland recalled his first brief spell in the NHL and how much time has passed since.

"I can't believe it's already been over a year since I played my last NHL game," Holland said.

It could be a matter of time before the next time. The ongoing NHL lockout has effectively pulled the dangling carrot from the string that young players such as Holland are chasing in trying to reach their ultimate goal.

The next couple of weeks are expected to determine whether the labor dispute culminates in an abbreviated or a canceled season. Holland, the scoring leader for the Ducks' American Hockey League affiliate in Norfolk (Va.), wants that carrot in front of him.

"Obviously it's frustrating," said Holland, speaking by phone on an off-day before the Admirals' home game against Albany. "You want the NHL to be there. It's something that you're working toward and hopefully you'll have an opportunity to have that.

"At the same time, I think we have a good squad here in Norfolk. Even though we're not showing it right now in the standings, we have a good team here. So you've got to make the best of that situation."

The Admirals are trying to find their way as a team, but Holland is doing his part to give the Ducks brass something to think about if and when the NHL lockout ends and the team in Anaheim gets back on the ice.

Holland has been Norfolk's leading scorer through the first third of the AHL season, pacing the Admirals in goals (11), assists (16) and points (27). The Toronto-born center also has been arguably the team's most consistent player, certainly on the offensive end.

The size and skill have always been there. Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo can attest to Holland's shot as his lone NHL goal came on a wicked wrister from the slot on a rush.

Consistency, however, has been the question hovering around Holland since his days in junior hockey at Guelph in the Ontario Hockey League. Time is showing that the question is becoming less of a concern.

"I think I've come another step," Holland said. "I'm a year older now. I'm maturing in my game. The points aren't always going to come. We play too good of hockey in the AHL or the NHL or just any pro league. The points are nice to get and you work hard to get them but they're not always going to be there.

"So it's important for guys like me to work on other aspects of the game. Playing strong in the defensive zone, pressuring the puck. Doing the all-encompassing things that will lead to you getting the opportunities to in fact get points."

The little things that turn into points include faceoffs, and Holland provided an example of that last weekend: He won a draw to start overtime, which allowed Emerson Etem to pick up the puck in stride and score the winning goal against Albany.

It is faceoffs and defensive play that Holland has focused on to become a well-round player. The addition of Rod Pelley, who played in 52 games with New Jersey and the Ducks last season, has had a positive effect in both areas.

"We work together a lot in practice on faceoffs," Holland said. "It was something I tried to improve this summer and I think I've gotten a lot better this year. Any time you can start with the puck, it's a lot more fun playing with the puck on the offensive side than it is when the other team has it in your end. Definitely faceoffs are a big part of the game."

Ducks general manager Bob Murray sees a parallel with the 2004-05 season, when many talented young players played in the AHL as the NHL season was canceled because of a lockout. Players such as Holland are competing against opponents like Adam Henrique, a Calder Trophy finalist with New Jersey last season, and others who saw significant NHL duty in 2011-12.

For instance, the 2003-04 Cincinnati Mighty Ducks dressed Joffrey Lupul, Dustin Penner, Chris Kunitz, and Ilya Bryzgalov. The added experience, Murray believes, can only be beneficial for someone trying to break through, and he also pointed to Penner, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry getting more AHL seasoning to start 2005-06 before coming up for good.

"The good thing for Peter is that the league is a better league this year, fortunately for him and unfortunately for everybody else," Murray said. "Like the last lockout, the American League is a really good league this year. He's getting to play against a better quality of players."

If the lockout does end, the Ducks figure to bring a handful of players up from Norfolk to compete for the final remaining openings on the roster in an abbreviated training camp. Holland is putting himself in position for an airplane ride to Orange County.

"He's close," Murray said when asked if the center is NHL-ready. "If I have one thing to say to him and I have talked to him, it's he has to be more consistent on the nights when it's going to be tough to score.

"You've got to find ways to contribute more often on more consecutive nights. It's tough. That's what he's got to do. But he's made some tremendous strides."

Holland acknowledged that he "definitely missed" the lack of a Ducks training camp in September. His camp is now an extended one in Norfolk where he plays to win games for the Admirals but also to leave an impression on the Ducks officials that are monitoring his progress and development.

"The main goal is to get back up there," he said. "It's a tough sport to make it in and a tougher one to keep it once you get there.

"How close do I think I feel? I think I feel close. But you never really know until you get there and start benchmarking yourself against the best players in the world."

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